Mortgage advice you can trust
by Michael Q. Blair, AMP, Mortgage Planner
We're committed to helping you achieve your mortgage goals through personalized mortgage planning done right.
Michael Q. Blair
Mortgage Planner
Michael (Quinton) Blair has been helping clients just like you understand mortgage financing since 2011. Mike is known for taking the time necessary to understand his clients' needs, and focuses on providing customized mortgage planning strategies. These include accelerated debt repayment and strategic retirement advice and long term client partnership. Mike is an Accredited Mortgage Professional, and a member of Mortgage Professionals Canada. Mike has won many awards in the mortgage industry.
Joining Mike in late 2019 is his licensed assistant Ludmila Muczij. A long tenured and successful mortgage broker in her own right, with a strong background working with many local credit unions around Winnipeg. As a team, Mike and Ludmila will ensure you get the best mortgage considering your personal financial situation.
Mike has also invested years into the Canadian Country and Folk music communities under his second name Quinton Blair. As a touring musician, the 4 time Manitoba Country Music Association award winner has toured North America and worked with some of the biggest names in Canadian Country Music. You can find his music on all streaming platforms and on local and satellite radio. He also spends his rest time in the backcountry with his horses and his family exploring remote locations of this beautiful province he calls home.
What people say about working with me
Understanding mortgage financing can be difficult, it doesn't have to be. Here's the plan!
Connect directly
The process starts when you get in touch. Let's take a look at your financial situation and put together a plan to find
the best mortgage for you!
Discuss your options
When it comes to mortgage financing, you have options! Let's clarify those options, so you can make the decision that best suits your needs.
Arrange the paperwork
Paperwork is the nitty gritty of mortgage financing. Let's make sure you know exactly what is required at every step, limiting any delays.
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As long as you need a mortgage, be assured that you'll receive ongoing professional mortgage advice. Connect anytime!
Our goal is to make the mortgage process as straightforward as possible
Mortgage financing for First Time Home Buyers
Everything you need to know to buy your first home with confidence.
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Whether you're looking to purchase a property, refinance an existing mortgage, or if your mortgage is up for renewal, you've come to the right place. Select from the options below.
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through a personalized mortgage plan.
I met Michael during one of the toughest periods I've ever gone through. My home is my sanctuary and also plays a huge role in my professional life. Without it, I don't know what I'd do. When I was put in contact with Michael, everything fell into place. He put me at ease and explained so much to me in such a clear, easy to understand way.
I'll cut to the chase and just say that after I had gotten nowhere with so many other places and people I'd gone to, Michael made things happen when I felt like there was no hope. I feel like he saved my life. I'll be forever grateful.
I'll cut to the chase and just say that after I had gotten nowhere with so many other places and people I'd gone to, Michael made things happen when I felt like there was no hope. I feel like he saved my life. I'll be forever grateful.
Barry G. Player
During the process of a Real Estate transaction I am often asked for a referral to a mortgage professional. Mike is genuinely one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with. His commitment to his clients & professionalism, combined with his extensive knowledge of the mortgage industry makes it easy for me to recommend him to my clients. He ensures that they experience a stress free, smooth transaction every time. If you are looking for a mortgage professional that truly cares about YOU, and can give you the best financing options for your future home purchase, I highly recommend contacting Mike today!
Tina August, Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate
Took care of everything for us and got us a great rate.
Steven Pauls
Our realtor Tina Plett, recommended us Mike Blair to get our Mortgage. The whole process was a wonderful experience! Since the beginning Mike explain us the process and help us to easily go through each step. Mile always responded timely and professional. We are very satisfied with his help and services provided. I highly recommend him.
Nelly B
I couldn't be happier with the process, and would love to pass it up the food chain how sensational you have been. We had no friggin clue about anything, and working with you has been super smooth.
Dave T
Articles to keep you learning
If you're looking to buy a new property, refinance, or renew an existing mortgage, chances are, you're considering either a fixed or variable rate mortgage. Figuring out which one is the best is entirely up to you! So here's some information to help you along the way. Firstly, let's talk about the fixed-rate mortgage as this is most common and most heavily endorsed by the banks. With a fixed-rate mortgage, your interest rate is "fixed" for a certain term, anywhere from 6 months to 10 years, with the typical term being five years. If market rates fluctuate anytime after you sign on the dotted line, your mortgage rate won't change. You're a rock; your rate is set in stone. Typically a fixed-rate mortgage has a higher rate than a variable. Alternatively, a variable rate is not set in stone; instead, it fluctuates with the market. The variable rate is a component (either plus or minus) to the prime rate. So if the prime rate (set by the government and banks) is 2.45% and the current variable rate is Prime minus .45%, your effective rate would be 2%. If three months after you sign your mortgage documents, the prime rate goes up by .25%, your rate would then move to 2.25%. Typically, variable rates come with a five-year term, although some lenders allow you to go with a shorter term. At first glance, the fixed-rate mortgage seems to be the safe bet, while the variable-rate mortgage appears to be the wild card. However, this might not be the case. Here's the problem, what this doesn't account for is the fact that a fixed-rate mortgage and a variable-rate mortgage have two very different ways of calculating the penalty should you need to break your mortgage. If you decide to break your variable rate mortgage, regardless of how much you have left on your term, you will end up owing three months interest, which works out to roughly two to two and a half payments. Easy to calculate and not that bad. With a fixed-rate mortgage, you will pay the greater of either three months interest or what is called an interest rate differential (IRD) penalty. As every lender calculates their IRD penalty differently, and that calculation is based on market fluctuations, the contract rate at the time you signed your mortgage, the discount they provided you at that time, and the remaining time left on your term, there is no way to guess what that penalty will be. However, with that said, if you end up paying an IRD, it won't be pleasant. If you've ever heard horror stories of banks charging outrageous penalties to break a mortgage, this is an interest rate differential. It's not uncommon to see penalties of 10x the amount for a fixed-rate mortgage compared to a variable-rate mortgage or up to 4.5% of the outstanding mortgage balance. So here's a simple comparison. A fixed-rate mortgage has a higher initial payment than a variable-rate mortgage but remains stable throughout your term. The penalty for breaking a fixed-rate mortgage is unpredictable and can be upwards of 4.5% of the outstanding mortgage balance. A variable-rate mortgage has a lower initial payment than a fixed-rate mortgage but fluctuates with prime throughout your term. The penalty for breaking a variable-rate mortgage is predictable at 3 months interest which equals roughly two and a half payments. The goal of any mortgage should be to pay the least amount of money back to the lender. This is called lowering your overall cost of borrowing. While a fixed-rate mortgage provides you with a more stable payment, the variable rate does a better job of accommodating when "life happens." If you’ve got questions, connect anytime. It would be a pleasure to work through the options together.
With the latest stats claiming that about half of marriages end in divorce and with around three-quarters of Canadians being homeowners, it’s important to know how to handle your mortgage if you decide to separate. Here’s a quick list of things to consider. Keep making your payments. A mortgage is a legally binding contract between you and the lender. It doesn’t take marriage into account. If your name appears on the mortgage, you're responsible for making sure the regular payments are made. A marital breakdown does not give you an excuse not to make your mortgage payments. If, during your marriage, you've relied on your spouse to make the mortgage payments and you aren’t certain payments are being made after separating, it's in your best interest to contact the lender directly to verify your mortgage is being paid. If payments aren't being made, it could affect your credit score or worse; the lender could start foreclosure proceedings. There is always a financial cost to break your mortgage. When working through how to split your finances, you decided to either refinance your mortgage, remove someone from the title, or sell the property, keep in mind that you will incur legal costs. If you’re in the middle of a term, the penalty for breaking your mortgage might be significant, especially if you have a fixed-rate mortgage. It’s certainly worth contacting your mortgage lender directly to verify the cost of breaking your mortgage. Having that information accessible when writing out your separation agreement will provide increased clarity. Listing your marital status as separated or divorced. When completing a mortgage application for securing new mortgage financing, when you list your marital status as separated or divorced, you can expect that a lender will want to see your legal separation agreement or your divorce papers. The lender wants to make sure you aren’t responsible for support payments. So if you haven’t finalized the paperwork, expect delays in securing mortgage financing. It could be harder to qualify for a new mortgage. With the separation of assets also comes the separation of incomes. If you qualified for your existing mortgage on a double income, you might find it hard to maintain the same quality of lifestyle post-separation. This is where careful planning comes in. Working closely with your independent mortgage professional will ensure you understand exactly where you stand. You’ll want to put together a plan for how to handle the mortgage on the matrimonial home. Purchasing the matrimonial home from your ex. There are special considerations given to people going through a separation to buy out the matrimonial home. Instead of looking at the transaction like a refinance where you can only borrow up to 80% of the property’s value, lenders will consider one spouse buying out the other up to a 95% loan to value ratio. This comes in handy when dividing assets and liabilities. Navigating the ins and outs of mortgage financing isn’t something you have to do alone. If you're going through a separation and you’d like to discuss all your mortgage options, please connect anytime. It would be a pleasure to walk you through the process.
The idea of owning a vacation home—your own cozy escape from everyday life—is a dream many Canadians share. Whether it’s a lakeside cabin, a ski chalet, or a beachside bungalow, a second property can add lifestyle value, rental income, and long-term wealth. But before you jump into vacation home ownership, it’s important to think through the details—both financial and practical. Start With Your 5- and 10-Year Plan Before you get swept away by the perfect view or your dream destination, take a step back and ask yourself: Will you use it enough to justify the cost? Are there other financial goals that take priority right now? What’s the opportunity cost of tying up your money in a second home? Owning a vacation home can be incredibly rewarding, but it should fit comfortably within your long-term financial goals—not compete with them. Financing a Vacation Property: What to Consider If you don’t plan to pay cash, then financing your vacation home will be your next major step. Mortgage rules for second properties are more complex than those for your primary residence, so here’s what to think about: 1. Do You Have Enough for a Down Payment? Depending on the type of property and how you plan to use it, down payment requirements typically range from 5% to 20%+ . Factors like whether the property is winterized, the purchase price, and its location all come into play. 2. Can You Afford the Additional Debt? Lenders will calculate your Gross Debt Service (GDS) and Total Debt Service (TDS) ratios to assess whether you can take on a second mortgage. GDS: Should not exceed 39% of your income TDS: Should not exceed 44% If you’re not sure how to calculate these, that’s where I can help! 3. Is the Property Mortgage-Eligible? Remote or non-winterized properties, or those located outside of Canada, may not qualify for traditional mortgage financing. In these cases, we may need to look at creative lending solutions . 4. Owner-Occupied or Investment Property? Whether you’ll live in the home occasionally, rent it out, or use it strictly as an investment affects what type of financing you’ll need and what your tax implications might be. Location, Location… Logistics Choosing the right vacation property is more than just finding a beautiful setting. Consider: Current and future development in the area Available municipal services (sewer, water, road maintenance) Transportation access – how easy is it to get to your vacation home in all seasons? Resale value and long-term potential Seasonal access or weather challenges What Happens When You’re Not There? Unless you plan to live there full-time, you'll need to consider: Will you rent it out for extra income? Will you hire a property manager or rely on family/friends? What’s required to maintain valid home insurance while it’s vacant? Planning ahead will protect your investment and give you peace of mind while you’re away. Not Sure Where to Start? I’ve Got You Covered. Buying a vacation home is exciting—but it can also be complicated. As a mortgage broker, I can help you: Understand your financial readiness Calculate your GDS/TDS ratios Review down payment and lending requirements Explore creative solutions like second mortgages , reverse mortgages , or alternative lenders Whether you’re just starting to dream or ready to take action, let’s build a plan that gets you one step closer to your ideal getaway. Reach out today—it would be a pleasure to work with you.
